Honors Program

The All-College Honors Program provides opportunities for selected students to gain a deep appreciation of the multiple dimensions of knowledge. Only the most outstanding students in each class are eligible for admission to the program, either before the beginning of their first-year or during the spring semester of their first year; the selection is competitive. Most incoming first-year Honors Scholars receive Westminster's top scholarships.

The program is designed to create a community of Honors Scholars and to promote intellectual vitality and academic rigor. Honors Scholars complete an enhanced curriculum including rigorous research, thesis preparation, problem solving, and independent investigation beyond the norm. The culmination of the program is an Honors Scholar Project, in which the scholars work closely with a faculty member in their major to grapple with questions and issues in their field of interest.

Benefits of the Honors Program

Curricular and co-curricular opportunities for building a sense of community

Priority course registration to allow Honors Scholars the best opportunity to schedule their desired classes

Enhanced student-printing privileges

Special library privileges, e.g., semester-length checkout of books for Honors Seminar and Honors Research courses

All-College Honors designation on transcripts and diploma

Membership in the student honor society Omicron Kappa Sigma and planning of formal and informal events for Honors Scholars and the academic community at large

Waiver of registration overload fees during any semester when the student is also taking an honors course.

Honors Scholor Handbook

Student Testimonials

Heather Lorigan

"The Honors Program provides an excellent way to interact with students in other majors and discuss world issues, as well as creating a support system that comes in very useful."

Nicole Panza

"Being an Honors Scholar at Westminster College pushes me to be the best I can in my field. My project gives me experience in research and the chance to tackle a problem my using Westminster education."

Brett Turk

"If you choose to be part of the Honors Program, it will be the biggest intellectual challenge of your life thus far. You will encounter many struggles, frustrations, and obstacles along the way. However, I believe that you will be a stronger person once you complete the program."

Samantha Killmeyer

"Choosing to join the Honors Program was one of the best decisions I made during my time at Westminster. I learned how to propose a research topic, gather a board of professors to support me, complete an extended project, and defend my work. The program also provided a unique community of academic support. The students from my cohort are some of the best friends I made in college, and because we all have such diverse interests, I might not have met them otherwise. The Honors Program was the best learning community I could have had at Westminster."